I’m quite chuffed with my progress on the Mount TBR Challenge. I had been intimidated by the height of my TBR pile, which had been steadily building up in the three years I’ve been blogging, but once I determinedly started out to read at least five books a month I enjoyed them all tremendously, and now I am excited to continue. Of course, I wanted to read all these books back when I acquired them, so that should not surprise me!
Of the newer books that have come my way, I hope that everyone who cares about our country and our future will read Dark Money by Jane Mayer. It’s absolutely essential if you want to have an idea of what is really going on beneath the surface, and the most important book I have read this year.
What have you learned from your reading this month? Something encouraging, I hope…
[divider]
Reviews
- One Part Plant is a nonjudgmental vegan cookbook that might just make you want to try some plant-based dishes even if you’re a carnivore.
- Read after I watched the movie, Scaramouche was entertaining and thought-provoking.
- It was wonderful to reread The Theseus Books by Mary Renault in their lovely new Folio clothes.
- I urge everyone to read Dark Money by Jane Mayer, a fascinating, chilling, infuriating, and extremely enlightening book.
- For some lighter fare, I enjoyed three rediscoveries from Furrowed Middlebrow.
Other Books Read
The Smile of the Stranger by Joan Aiken – Reread- Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan – Mount TBR, Review to Come
- Sophie Someone by Hayley Long – Mount TBR, Review to Come
- Hell and High Water by Tanya Landman – Mount TBR, Review to Come
- The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin – Mount TBR, Reread
- My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier – Mount TBR, Review to Come
Other Features and Events
- I contributed to the March Magics event over at We Be Reading with Three Books by Diana Wynne Jones That You Need to Read Right Now.
- I discussed the eternal question What Is Fiction For? (Hint: it’s not to create a world of “alternative facts.”)
- I announced that Elizabeth Goudge Day is coming on April 24. Please join the celebration!
Shared in the Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the Month in Review linkup at The Book Date, and the Monthly Wrap-up Round-up hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
You had a busy month. Happy April!
LikeLike
Thanks Freda – happy April to you.
LikeLike
I have been learning about a simpler, more disciplined relationship with God reading Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. I also look forward to your thoughts on My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, because I have just popped that on my bedside table to start reading as soon as possible! Happy reading in April 🙂
LikeLike
It was one of those can’t-put-down books for me, so I hope you will enjoy it too.
LikeLike
I think we will be reading My Cousin Rachel in our Goodreads group TuesBookTalk Read-Alongs throughout April. It would be lovely if you dropped in and chatted with us about it any Tuesday night in April at 9:30 pm EST (#TuesBookTalk)! Really nice monthly wrapup–you read so much!
LikeLike
That would be lovely, I will try to remember!
LikeLike
I’ve also been doing well with the Mount TBR challenge. It’s been motivating me to pick up some books that have been sitting around forever. I hope you continue to have success with it!
LikeLike
It feels really good to get through that pile. However, it has not stopped me from buying new books, so the quest will continue…
LikeLike
Quite a busy month, I’m off to check out that vegan cookbook review!!
LikeLike
Glad you found something of interest!
LikeLike
Well done! I have The Dispossessed on my TBR too. I look forward to your review, maybe that will push me to pick it up soon!
LikeLike
That is such a fascinating book. I’m planning to discuss it along with some other novels that address political ideas.
LikeLike
Looks like you had a successful reading month! Mine was a bit slow but I think next month will be better. I have no idea why, but I always read more when it starts to get warm out.
LikeLike
Interesting! Maybe your brain warms up and starts to work better. 🙂
LikeLike
Well, I do get cold very easily. That’s probably it. I hibernate in the winter. 🙂
LikeLike
FIVE BOOKS A MONTH? (she screamed incredulously). Did I know that was your TBR goal? I am astONished and impressed that you are managing such a thing. I’ve resolved to read, I think, seven books from my TBR shelf in the entire year of 2017? And you’re reading FIVE A MONTH? I am dead of impressed-being.
LikeLike
I know, I thought it was crazy when I set the goal but hey, what did I have to lose! That said, I have not yet tackled any of the really long books on my list, like Don Quixote. If I leave them all till the end I might be in trouble.
LikeLike
Great reading this month! I listened to Mayer on NPR and now, with this review, realize I have got to read this book. I don’t do well with non-fiction so maybe listening to it would be a better option?
LikeLike
Try! I have trouble concentrating with audiobooks, especially nonfiction, but it might work for you. You may also find reading it in small doses helps (that’s what I did).
LikeLike
good month, and am glad you mentioned My Cousin Rachel, I had not realized a reading-along was coming soon, I may join it.
wow, you post your recaps early. Between March 26 and March 21, I will have at least finished 2 books, possibly 3
LikeLike
I always post on the last Sunday of the month – which means sometimes the month is five weeks long and I can get in those extra two or three more books! 🙂
LikeLike
My brother keeps on telling me to read Dark Money–sounds depressing but I suppose I will do as instructed. He hasn’t led me wrong so far.
I’m rereading My Cousin Rachel in April–looking forward to the new adaptation of it.
Congrats on dealing with your TBR Pile–always one of my good intentions.
Happy spring and happy reading.
LikeLike
The world is so depressing right now that I actually appreciated understanding some of the reasons why it is like that (through reading Dark Money). Even if I can’t do anything about it, it’s better than complete bewilderment.
It will be interesting to see how the movie of My Cousin Rachel turns out. I wonder how it can capture the subtle nature of the narration — always a challenge on film.
LikeLike
My TBR is also compounding and I am in fear the bookcase might crumple. The books stacked on the top of the case (about 4 ft high) are now exactly 2 ft away from kissing the ceiling. (I couldn’t accurately guesstimate, so I did measure.) YIKES! But I *have* to focus on NetGalley right now.
I just finished reading The Piper’s Price. I learned to never trust a mermaid OR the Piper. And the Piper’s a nasty, slinky kind of fellow. DON’T look him in the eyes when he talks!
Hoping for April showers for all of us. Because more reading! 🙂
LikeLike
Alas, as soon as I get through books on my TBR pile I seem to be acquiring more to replace them. But at least the pile is not growing, nor does it yet touch the ceiling. And I’m pretending NetGalley does not exist right now. The ability to check out library books online is bad enough.
LikeLike
Those Furrowed Middlebrow books look delightful. I’m enjoying the Mt. TBR challenge as well. It feels very satisfying to get through those books that have just been hanging around, eyeing me accusingly.
LikeLike
Sooo satisfying! I have to get cracking on April though. I’m only halfway through TBR Book #1 so far.
LikeLike
Well done with your Mount TBR challenge! I am usually pretty good at reading books I own (I don’t usually buy a book before I’ve read it) but lately that pile has been growing larger…if I keep up at this rate, I may need to take on a challenge like that.
I am looking forward to Elizabeth Goudge Day. I just signed up for an alumni library card so I can borrow The Little White Horse, which isn’t available in the public library.
LikeLike
Wonderful, I’m glad you could track down a copy. It’s too bad her books are now not so widely available.
LikeLike